Regulations and Government
Debate continues: will small jets overburden FAA resources?
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the Transportation Department Inspector General are questioning whether the FAA’s safety inspectors and air

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the Transportation Department Inspector General are questioning whether the FAA’s safety inspectors and air traffic controllers will be able to cope with the introduction of very light jets (VLJ) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).

In testimony before the House aviation subcommittee, Todd Zinser, acting inspector general of the DOT, told lawmakers that VLJ manufacturers expect their aircraft to find a niche among a variety of corporate and private owners and on-demand air-taxi operators. The FAA predicts that approximately 5,000 VLJs will be vying for airspace by 2017, he said, flying in the same skies as passenger aircraft operated by the airlines.